Film-developing tank



n lJuly 5, 1932. M. F. MuRPHYE-r AL 1,866,521 .'FILM DEVELOPING TVANK Filed June 19, 1931 INVENTOR Wanda/55.4% auf j a@ Mw www,

Patented July 5, 1932 f UNITED :STATES PATENT ori-ics mmnrcx nUBPnYANp coLIGNEY BRAINERD METHENY, ornmvnn FALLS, PENN- SYLVANIA.; AssmNons To STERLING Pnoro MANUEAGTURING co., yor vBEANIE-n FALLS, PENNSYLVANIA, ak CORPORATION or rENNsYLvANIA 'FILM-DEVELOPING kTANK Appucatioanlea :une 19, 1931. lserial No. 545,386.

@The invention yrelates tothe development vof photographic filmsv andfplates. yThe development of such kfilms comprises the steps of vim'mersing thefilms in a developing solution, then Washing them in a rinsing liquid, andnext immersing them in a"fixing solution, and, finally, washing them in the rinsing liquid. The composition of the different liqnids employed insuch; process is not of im-4 mediate concern in our invention. ',"Neither are We concerned withthe number of baths,

, nory the particular sequence of steps which aio is' Afollowed in developing the films. We are, however, concerned with: the container for the several liquids necessary in film development, and it isin such acontaineP-a container commonly knownin the `art as a developing v tank-that ou-r invention isl found. vLarge X-ray films and other large photographick films are usually secured to hangers, hangers being devices of -well-knownstructure torfacilitate handling the films andrto maintain them in flat condition during the developing operation." y Y The object of our invention .is to provide a reomparted tank -for containing two'or more baths of the liquids required for filmdev'elopment-a tank whi'chjisof particular utility Where hangers` are employed, as above-mentioned. Y f i y The rinsing of-films is ordinarily done in acirculatingbath ofrwater, and a further yobj ect of our invention is to provide a developing tank in which a developing solution is maintained in one compartment, and in which Aa particularly'efi'ectivebath of rinsing liquid is maintained in f another compartment. That is, We have in mind the provision of a structure iwhich will admit of amaximum circulation of rinsingwater, under the usualy conditions of4 Watery supply.k Another 'object is.' to provides. tank ystructure lin which the hangers,aszwell as thev films, maybe wholly submerged inthe. rinsing bath,'to` the end that they shall be cleansed thoroughly.

A still further object of our invention is ltoprovide lan integrallyiformed tank'k (that is, a tank ofmonolithic structure) which can heV readily formed ofA kceramic material, and

y which canbe'easilyfcleaned when taken 'from service. Other vobjects will be apparent in the following specification.

case isshown to bea tankcomprising a silbv stantially rectangular outer Walll, abotbom 8, and partition Walls 3. Three compartments A, B, and C are provided in the illustrated tank; the compartment A advantageously contains a bath of developing solution; kthe compartment B contains the yrinsing bath; and in compartment C the fixing-solution is contained. On the outer Wall l of the. tankk there is located a conduit 4 ,the conduit is `integral with the Wall ofthetank; its vupper end terminates adjacent the top of thecom-l vpartment (B) for the rinsing liquid, and the wall of such compartment is` soY particularly formed as to provide a lip 5 ,over which th@ rinsing liquid may spill into the Conduit .4. More will presently be said astotherutility and organization of the lip 5.

An inlet 6 is provided adjacent the bottom of compartment B, kand by means otasntableconnection to a supply pipe, yvvfatcr ,is in-V troduced under pressure. Accordmglwater being introduced continuously, the surface of the rinsing bath in compartment B (as indicated by the line S in Fig. IVl'riSeS above the lip 5. Wateroverflows thelip-fand falls through theconduit 4,` which conduit is provided atits lower end with an outlet 7.

kThe outlet 7, manifestly,vmaybe connected to anyccnvenient drainage or sewerage system. The abovedescribed vorganization' ,of the'` inlet `and the overfiovvV discharge4 Vfor Y the circulating bath of rinsi 'Water is such that aamaxim'um movement 'o Water .may ,be btained in a compartment of given "dimen-y sions. In each partition wallf, advantageously at apoint flush witht'hefface ofoor 2, is a port 8, while through the wall l of compartment B is a drainage vent 9. The ports 8, 8 and vent 9 are adapted to be closed, say by means of Stoppers, such as the stopper l0 illustrated in Fig. I.

Then the tank is in service, that is, when the compartments contain their hlm-developing baths, the ports 8, 8 and vent 9 are closed. IVhe-n, however, it becomes expedient to replace the solutions in compartments A and C.`

the Stoppers are withdrawn from the ports 8, 8, 9, and the supply ot water to inlet 6 is cut oli. Thereupon the contents of all ccm-k partments quickly flow into the conduit 'l, and thence to the drain pipe (not shown) which is, as above-mentioned, connected to outlet 7.

It will be noted that the structure of the tank is such that the walls, the partitions, and the conduit t'may be. formed integrally. Indeed, weform the tank integrally of vitreous china, and remark that one of our prime concerns was to provide a structure which would have the above-mentioned advantages, and withal could be manufactured, as a unitary thing, of ceramic material. Advantageously, the walls l of the tank are tapered downward, as indicated at T in Figs. II and III; such tapering of the walls 'facilitates molding the structure from so-ealled green clay or like material. Additionally, the structure is such that all surfaces of it may be cleansed thoroughly. It is remarkable that in tanks employed hitherto the conduits, for the overflow of the circulating bath of rinsing liquid, have comprised metal pipes. A metal pipe, in being connected to the rinsing bath container, aiiorded a circular epcning e. the circular bore of' the pipe) for the escape of rinsing liquid, and, as in service such metal conduit corroded and became clogged, as in fact it has been found to do, the conduit had to be renewed, or if not renewed, it had to be cleaned. h/Iani'festly, cleaning the bore'of a corroded pipe is a diticult task, while the renewal of the pipe'involves expense. By forming our conduit (il) integrally on the wall ot the tank, and by torming it oi the shape illustrated and of the material specified, we have provided a structure which is readily accessible tor cleaning, and `one which may be thoroughly cleansed. Furthermore, it is a structure wherein the discharge of overflowing cleansing liquid is practicallyunrestricted. That is, the overflow lip 5 admits of much greater discharge of liquid from compartment B than could be obtained by employing the usual metal 'con-f duit, it being obvious that a metal pipe (due to its circular area) cannot receive or conduct the amount of iuid that the conduit with its wide overflow lip 5, can handle.. Y I

Another feature is found in 'our tank. l As above mentioned, hangers are-employed to maintain the films in flat condition, and to facilitate handling them in the developing operation. In the drawing, we have illustrated in outline two hangers H and H. The specific structure of these hangers is a matter of common knowledge, and we shall not concern ourselves with them, further than to mention that they comprise a rectangular frame having two ears L on the upper leg L` of the frame, to the end that the hangers may be suspended, as indicated in Figs. III and IV. The walls of each compartment of the tank are so particularly formed as to provide opposite ledges or edges a-a, -b, and 0 0, ci'. Fig. I. The opposed edges in each compartment are adapted to support the hangers H by their ears h, and it is characteristic of our structure that the hanger-supporting edges of the solution-containing compartments (in this case the compartments A and C) are olset vertically from thev edges b-Z) of the rinsing compartment B. Such relative, vertical disposition of the hanger-support-ing edges a*a, b-Z), and c-c is important to the end that, when the hangers are suspended in the solution-containing compartments, their upper legs L shall lie above the surface of the developing solution. This .will, as is desirable, keep the legs L substantially free of the developing solution. The hanger-supporting edges H are lower than the hangersupporting edges of compartment A and C; the edges -b are so vertically disposed wth respect to the overflow lip 5 as to permit the legs L of the hangers to lie beneath the surface S of the rinsing bath. Accordingly, the entire hanger is submerged in the cleansing bath, and any solution adhering to any part of the hanger will be removed in the rinsing bath, and streaking of the ilms, by reason of fouled hangers, will be prevented.

It will be observed that one edge b provides in addition to a support for hangers, the lip,

over which the rinsing liquid is adapted to spill. If, in a particular installation, the supply otwater entering inlet G is insutcient to maintain the surface S of the rinsing bath the desired interval above the lip 5, to insure that the legs L of the `hangers will be submerged, we contemplate providing a ridge 5 on thehanger-supporting edge b, lying adjacent the conduit ll. This detail is illus-A trated in Fig. V, where it will bevmanifest that the ridge b may be integrally included with the tank structure, as it is shown to be, or it may comprise a separate bar that can be secured on the edge Z) in any convenient manner.

l.Ve claim as our invention:

Vl. A developing tank including a compartment for` a bath of nlm-developing solution and a compartment for a circulating bath of rinsing liquid,` each compartment being provided with opposed edges for the support of film hangers, and an outlet conduit on t-he wall of said tank, which outlet conduit at its upperendfterminates adjacent the top of the rinsing compartment, said rinsing compartment having an inlet for the introduction of rinsing liquid adjacent the bottom of the compartment, and a lip adjacent its top-for the overowvof rinsing liquid into said conduit.

2. A developing tank including al compartment for a bath of film-developingsolution and a compartment for a circulating bath of rinsing liquid,each compartment being provided with opposed edges for the support of film hangers, the hanger-supporting edges of said rinsing compartment being offset vertically from the supporting edges of said solution compartment, an outlet conduiton the n wall of said tank, which outlet conduit at its upper end terminates'adjacent the top of the rinsing compartment, said rinsing compartment having an inlet for the introduction of rinsing liquid adjacent the bottom of the compartment, and a lip adjacent its top for the overflow of rinsing liquid into said conn duit.

3. A developing tank comprising an integy rally formed or monolithic bodyv which inf circulating bath of rinsing liquid, each compartment having on its opposed walls edges for the support of film hangers, the supporting edges in said rinsing compartment being offset vertically from the supporting edges of said solution compartment, an outlet conduit formed on the wall of said tank, which outlet conduit at its upper end terminates adjacent. the top of the rinsing compartment, which rinsing compartment includes in its wall a lip for `the overflow of rinsing liquid into said conduit. j

4. A developing 'tank including a compartment for a bath of film-developing solution and a compartment for a circulating bath of rinsing liquid, each compartment being provided with opposed edgesfor the support of film hangers, an outlet conduit on vthe wall of said tank, which outlet conduit atits upper end'terminates adjacent theftop of the rinsing compartment, said rinsingcompartment having an inlet for the introduction of rinsing liquid adjacent the bottom of said comf partment, and a lip adjacent its ltop for the overflow of rinsing liquid into said conduit,

together with a drainage vent at the bottom of said rinsing compartment communicating with said conduit.

5. 'The structure of claim 4, in which a port is provided between said compartments, which port, together with the above-mentioned drainage vent,is adapted to bel closed when the tank is in service.

6. A developing tank comprising an integcludes at least two liquid-containing compartments, the walls of each compartment being formed for the support of film hangers, an outlet conduit formed onthe wall of said tank, which outlet con-duit atr its upper end terminates adjacent the top ofeone of said compartments, and the last-mentioned compartment being provided with a lip in its wall y' for the overflow of liquid into said conduit.

7. A ydeveloping tank comprising an integrally formed or monolithic body which includes at least two com artments, one comi overflow of rinsing liquid into said conduit,

and also includes an inlet for the introduction of liquid adjacent the bottom of the compartment, a drainage vent adjacent the bottom of said rising compartment communieating with said conduit, a port extending through the wall of adjoining compartments, which port, together with the above-mentioned drainage vent, is adapted to be closed when 'the tank is in service.

8. A developing tank comprising an integrally formed or monolithicbody including at least two compartments, one of suchv compartments being adapted to contain a circulating bath of water,`edges on the opposed Walls ofV said last-mentioned compartment forr the support of film hangers, an inlet for the in* troduction of water adjacent the bottom of said compartment, an outlet conduit on the wall of said compartment, which outlet conduit at its upper end terminates adjacent the top of said compartment and is open adjacent one of said hanger-supporting edges, whereby said edge comprises an overflow lip for said bath of water.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands.

- MURDICK F. MURPHY. v

C. BRAINERD METHENY. 

